(no subject)

[mamculuna]

Thanks to Vicki, I now have read some of Obama's poems! I like them, esp. the first one.

When I read Dreams of My Father, I thought how glad I was to think that a real writer might be President--someone who actually thought for himself. Some have criticized his aloofness and tendency to be isolated at times, but I like that, very much.

Comments

[altaego.livejournal.com]

I read those poems a while ago and thought they were sort of clunky. But I was relieved that Obama doesn't excel at everything. But they were written when he was a lot younger. Maybe now he'd do better.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I agree about the clunkiness. I don't like the second one at all, but the first one suggests what I later on like in his writing. I think prose is definitely his medium! Still, nice to see a President who at least tried to write poetry.

[atpolittlebit.livejournal.com]

It will be nice to have a President who is not afraid of words: choosing them, arranging them, using them to communicate and inspire. Who believes he does not have to 'dumb down' his message.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Who actually writes his own books and speeches, even though I feel sure that he'll have to hand some of that over, given the press of time. At least he'll read them and understand them before he delivers them.

I thought it was possible that W was not "dumbing down" but was communicating at his own level...

[atpolittlebit.livejournal.com]

I think GWB was cimmunicating on his level. I was thinking more of the contrast with McCain. It was most noticable in the second debate where McCain seemed to be talking down to the audience and Obama talking to the audience.

But! But...didn't you know?!? Ayers wrote those books for him!! I read it on the Intarwebs!! *rolls eyes*

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Completely right about the second debate, and a lot of his speeches. The only time he ever sounded like he was really talking to real people was in the concession speech.

[ann1962]

McCain was on The Daily Show a while back, and that is how he came across, genuine, and conversational. There was obvious disagreement between McCain and Stewart but they were absolutely cordial with one another. If McCain had run as that guy, he would have done much better.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I heard he was very likable on that last SNL appearance, too. I'm glad he made the mistakes he did, because I prefer Obama's policies (socialized medicine? Bring it on!), but it was sad to see McCain betray himself at the end. The Viet Cong couldn't break his integrity, but Republican operatives could.

There's a very interesting long piece in this week's Newsweek that looks at the campaigns and the internal stuff that went on.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

I agree that John McCain looked most comfortable in his concession speach; it was like he was finally able to speak his own words, and not someone else's scripted ones. I'm sad for him, because I think a basically decent man sold his soul for the promise of power.